Most Texans oppose attack on Syria in calls, emails

WASHINGTON - Hundreds of calls and emails have flooded in to Capitol Hill from Texans this week, with nearly all opposing a potential strike on Syria.

Whip counts show that about half of Texas representatives remain undecided about U.S. intervention in the Middle Eastern country after a chemical attack killed more than 1,000 people last month. And as national organizations, such as the tea party group FreedomWorks, ramp up their calling and mail campaigns against a Syrian strike, the pressure on lawmakers is likely to grow.

About 900 calls and emails have poured in to Rep. Michael Burgess' office opposing action in Syria this week, his communications director, Bruce Harvey, said. About 20 supported intervention.

That's more responses than the Lewisville Republican has seen on any other issue this summer, Harvey said.

"Anecdotally, we expected that people in the district would be against intervention. But we didn't expect the volume," he said.

Harvey said most of the calls in the congressman's district, which he described as largely "libertarian," are either afraid that the U.S. will stir up a fight against al-Qaeda or believe that the attack isn't in the national interest.

President Barack Obama first announced that he would seek congressional approval for a strike in Syria last weekend and has spent the past week deploying his top leaders - including his secretary of state, secretary of defense and joint chiefs of staff - to help rally support in Congress.

He will make a public pitch to the American people Tuesday after he returns from the G-20 summit in Russia, where he also has pressed for action, though Harvey said it's unlikely to make a major dent in opinion.

Nationally, 29 percent of Americans support a strike, which is slightly more than the number undecided, according to a Pew Research Center poll.

Opposition grows

In Congress, the majority of Republicans stand against the attack, even with top Republican leaders, such as House Speaker John Boehner and House Majority Leader Eric Cantor, backing the Obama administration's proposal to intervene.

Rep. Lloyd Doggett, D-Austin, the state's only Democrat who has said he'll vote against the strike, has tallied about 1,100 contacts from the San Antonio and Austin area. About 95 percent condemned military action, coming from "across the political spectrum," his communications coordinator Kelsey Crow said.

A top adviser to a Texas Democrat, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said the party is in a tough spot on the issue and is working on how to handle "an onslaught of negative responses" across the district.

He said while Democrats don't typically want to be seen as hawkish, they want to offer support for the president's agenda.

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"Talking to other press secretaries from other Democratic offices, I don't see anyone in the mode of being a cheerleader, I just see people trying to be more thoughtful," he said.

The official added that he was surprised by the number of Democrats who have opposed the strike without knowing precisely what it will look like, since many members have not returned to D.C. to hear the confidential briefings.

Sixteen Texas representatives, some from each party, have either announced opposition or say they are leaning toward opposing the plan.

Rep. John Culberson, R-Houston, is one of three Texas representatives opposed to the strike, including Doggett and Rep. Kevin Brady, R-The Woodlands.

About 98 percent of the 600 phone calls received by Culberson's office this week opposed the president's plan, his spokesman Stephen Worley said.

Many constituents said "'It's not a role for the United States,' or 'I don't want to get involved with a proxy war' or 'There's no good guy,'" Worley said. And Culberson, who is also a tea party advocate, agrees, he added.

Doubts about plan

Brady tallied 224 phone calls on Tuesday and Wednesday, with just one call supportive of action, according to press secretary Shana Teehan.

She added that Brady's Facebook page is about 99 to 1 against the strike. "Most of the commenters make the statement that they don't see where national security interest is at risk. They have doubts about efficacy about the plan." She added Brady is "equally skeptical."